We're only 10 days into fall, but it already feels like winter on Stevens Pass. The first snow of the season fell Tuesday.
Stevens Pass Mountain Resort got a solid dusting at 4,000 feet elevation. The National Weather Service reports 1-2 inches fell early Tuesday evening.
Snow on Oct. 2 is "a little early" for the pass, the Weather Service tweeted.
Sun and high clouds should return Wednesday as the snow elevation climbs back to 5,500 feet.
By Thursday, snow levels will drop back to 4,500 feet, but there won't be much moisture to produce snow in the mountains. From there, snow levels climb back to 5,000 feet by Friday and should be up to 6,500 feet by Sunday.
Jules at Stevens Pass Mountain Resort remarked on the first snowfall, "This is not incredibly early for the first snow; perhaps on the early side of average, but is a great sign for the season to come!"
While the early dusting may not be unusual, it's a welcome sight for skiers and boarders. Back in 2013, Crystal Mountain was able to open the Green Valley Lift for one day on October 1st. Green Valley sits higher than Stevens Pass at the 6,800-foot level. The early snow day at Crystal was dubbed Rocktober and was documented here. That year, the snow melted off by the end of October and Crystal restarted their accumulations for the season.
Back at sea level, lingering showers should dry out overnight for a mostly dry Wednesday. View the full forecast here.
An El Nino winter is predicted for Pacific Northwest. Learn more about it here:
